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Find Holiday Fun for the Whole Family at the Library

If you’re looking for some holiday spirit, you’ll find it at the library this week. We’ve got holiday shopping, open houses, cookie decorating and concerts for the whole family.

The annual Holiday Store for kids continues from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Library Center. It’s a “store” inside the library where kids can shop for friends and family at prices ranging from 25 cents to $5. The store continues all week, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; and 1-4 p.m. Dec. 8.

The Holiday Store is also offered one day only on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Library Station; or 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Brentwood Branch. Bring the kids to the Holiday Open House first: 9:30-11 a.m. (Santa visits from 9:30-10:30 a.m.) at the Library Station, or 9:30 a.m.-noon (Santa visits from 11 a.m.-noon) at the Brentwood Branch.

On Friday, Dec. 6, ‘tweens and teens in grades 4-12 are invited to Cocoa & Crafts at 4:30 p.m. at the Republic Branch Library. Join us to make a last-minute gift and sip cocoa while you listen to holiday music. Materials will be provided. For information on the free program, call 732-7284.

On Saturday, Dec. 7 drop by the Ash Grove Branch Library Holiday Open House 8:30 a.m. to noon. Come in for refreshments, a make-and-take craft, a photo booth, Leo the Library Lion and more. Stay warm inside with front-row seat at the window to watch the 10 a.m. Ash Grove Christmas Parade as it winds down Main Street.

Also from 10-11 a.m. Saturday at the Midtown Carnegie Branch, children ages 3 through third grade are invited to celebrate the season with cookie stories and holiday cookie decorating. Materials will be provided.

Then on Dec. 8, enjoy selections from “Holiday Prelude” at 2 p.m. in the Library Center auditorium by the Children’s Choirs of Southwest Missouri. Five choirs make up this organization of more than 80 children ages 5-8 years old.

The event kicks off a series of five winter concerts underwritten by the Friends of the Library with some of the proceeds from their spring and fall book sales. The next is Holiday Horns at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, in the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, featuring the Springfield Symphony’s Brass Quintet.

Kathleen O’Dell is community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Library District. She can be reached at kathleeno@thelibrary.org.